A December, 2010 ruling by the Texas Supreme Court, states that if a Texas contract labor employee injured on the job, is working for an employer providing workers’ compensation insurance, the injured worker cannot sue the employer for negligence. In the past there had not been a clear ruling on the matter as it related to contract employees.
While this is ruling can have a positive effect as far as the contract employee’s ability to receive medical care and financial assistance for lost wages when they are injured on the job, workers’ compensation does not pay out as much as the injured person might receive if they were allowed to sue their contract employer for negligence.
If a contract worker is injured on the job, they are not allowed to sue their employer for wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, or harassment since they are not considered a permanent legal employee of the company.
Contract Labor and Workers’ Compensation
In most circumstances, contract employees are covered by workers’ compensation insurance by the employer who has contracted them out to other companies; thereby, giving the contract employee the legal right to sue a company where they are working for negligence if they are injured at that worksite.
Keeping Up with What’s Covered and What’s Not
Since labor laws are constantly changing, if you are a contract worker and have been injured at your worksite, contact Shaw Cowart to learn more about what’s covered and what’s not in your worksite accident.
Call Shaw Cowart’s contract labor attorneys today. We will fight for your rights to fair and just compensation.